Saturday, August 18, 2012

So if I did not lose you with my Availability post, just what sort of contact information should you provide? At a minimum, a cell phone number and an email address. Check your email frequently and try to answer the cell phone. These days many people just don't leave messages. I guess they expect you to call them back. I'm never sure, so I just try to answer.And it gets worse. Some people, more than you know, think it is a good idea to text you. Whether you included this contact option or not, if you provide a phone number, they will assume that they can text to it. I will never forget the first time I got an offer via text message. It was truly surreal and I did not like it at all. But you know what? They closed.There was a time when I would insist that you needed a fax number. In fact, it used to be the number one complaint about FSBO sellers - that you could not fax an offer to them. Well, cheap modern scanners have pretty much put an end to that. But don't be surprised if someone does want to fax you. If you do not have a dedicated fax line, you might think of a backup plan. For example, find out what the incoming fax procedure is at your nearest FedEx Office, formerly Kinko's. Or, do what I do and use a fax-to-email service such as eFax.At this point you should probably scan all your relevant documents into PDF format. This should certainly include your flyer and the Property Disclosure Statement, and if applicable, your Lead Paint Disclosure. Make sure that the Property Disclosure Statement and the Lead Paint Disclosure are complete and signed by you, the seller. You already have a PDF link to the EPA Lead Brochure, if you need it. Beyond these, anything that might be helpful to share: The floor plan, the survey, the plat, etc. That way, if you get a call or email asking for any of these, you can just respond with an email with these attachments.And no, other formats are not okay. Everybody in the world has a PDF reader, so stick with that. If you uploaded these to one of the online sites or setup your own website, so much the better. If you do not have access to a PDF scanner, ask a friend for help. Or again, FedEx Office can do this for you. Just have it done before someone asks for it.